September 05, 2012 11:49 PM CDTSeptember 06, 2012 12:31 AM CDTHot Air: Did Tony Romo play the best game of his career? NBC wants you to think so

Hot Air: Did Tony Romo play the best game of his career? NBC wants you to think so

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Brad Loper/Staff Photographer

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) shakes his fist to the Cowboys fans following a 24-17 win against the New York Giants in the NFL football season opener at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Wednesday, September 5, 20122. The Cowboys defeated the Giants 24-17.

Spin on Cowboys QB just a bit much

Not sure if Cris Collinsworth really meant it or was speaking in the hyperbolic heat of the moment as the Cowboys took a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead over the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

“Tony Romo may be playing the best game of his career,” NBC analyst Collinsworth told his giant national television audience.

Maybe it was. Maybe it was only a top five or 10. Doesn’t really matter. Romo was outstanding with the eyes of the football-crazed nation upon him. The next week-and-a-half, leading up to the trip to Seattle, should be very pleasant.

Understand this. The Cowboys had lost seven consecutive times in NBC prime time. It’s been awhile since Collinsworth had been an eyewitness to Romo leading his team to victory.

“Tony Romo put the team on his back tonight,” Collinsworth gushed as the game wound down to its 24-17 conclusion.

Chimed in play-by-play voice Al Michaels in the wake of the win at the Giants: “The team [Jerry Jones] didn’t want to see is us.”

For now, the Cowboys are the kings of Wednesday night. They have two NBC Sunday night games — at the Atlanta Falcons and home against the Philadelphia Eagles — remaining on the schedule.

Two more victories in prime time could help a season make.

NBC kickoff show: Mariah Carey singing on the pregame? You don’t see Troy Aikman breaking down defenses on the Grammy red carpet. Unnecessary.

Rookie analyst Hines Ward quoted an unidentified Giants defender dissing Tony Romo, certain he would turn the ball over when it counts late in the game. Untrue.

Twitter nation: KTVT (Channel 11) teammates Steve Dennis and Gina Miller both tweeted pregame that Jason Witten would not play. Wrong. Dennis later tweeted: “Stand by what our sources told us this afternoon.” Kiddingly he added in the first half, “Meant to report that Miles Austin was out for this game.” Then came Austin’s touchdown catch.

So you know: Ralph Strangis, voice of the Stars, spent the evening tweeting about what he was watching on TV: Cowboys? No. Rangers? Nope. Strangis is a devotee of So You Think You Can Dance.

And finally: @AndrewBucholtz: “The Giants can’t defend the forest for the Ogletrees.”

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